Rewriting the Future
by ShipsInTheKnight
Summary: After Emma brings Marian back from the past, both hers and Regina's futures are altered. When a mysterious young girl, claiming to be their future daughter, suddenly appears in their quaint town with a mission to 'fix' what Emma has changed, both women are faced with many decisions to make.
1. Chapter 1: Introduction

"You're just like your mother," Regina scoffed, staring intensely into hazel orbs. "Never thinking of consequences."

The blonde gaped, not knowing how to respond, as Regina turned adamantly on her heels. By the time Emma had found her voice to call after the woman, the brunette was gone.

Everyone in the diner's gazes fell upon Emma as she continued to stare at the brunette's retreating form through the glass door. That is, until a whirling spiral-shaped portal appeared from the tiled floor of the diner, illuminating the room with hues of blue and violet.

Not even a second had passed before the portal spit out a young girl with long brunette locks, then disappeared as if it were never there to begin with. The girl landed roughly on the ground and everyone was stunned into silence, watching the mysterious brunette with intensity.

She slowly made her way to her feet, muttering curse words under her breath, as she fixed her appearance. When she felt she was adequate, she chanced a glance upward for the first time since her arrival. The brunette was instantly met with many astonished expressions and shifted uncomfortably under their scrutiny. Then her eyes met hazel orbs that were similar to her own.

The blonde woman had been the first to voice the question that was running through everyone's mind.

"Who are you?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Who are you?"

The girl hesitated for a moment, internally debating whether or not to answer the woman. Emma seemed to sense her hesitation and repeated herself, this time with more force.

"I'm," the girl began, her voice wavering. "I'm your daughter."

You could hear a gasp coming from across the room where Snow was standing, her hand over her mouth in shock. With Charming at her side, she willed herself not to faint.

"That's impossible, kid," Emma said in disbelief. "What are you, fifteen?" She crossed her arms to reinforce her point. "I'd had to be 13 when you were born, and I think I'd remember giving birth _twice_."

The girl rolled her eyes in response, which didn't go unnoticed by the savior. Even though it was a small, common gesture, the action caused images of another brunette to flood to the forefront of her mind. She instantly shook off the thought that this girl, who was claiming to be her daughter, could possibly resemble none other than Regina Mills, the Evil Queen.

"Emma," Mary Margaret questioned, sensing the change in her daughter's demeanor. Emma reluctantly tore her eyes from the young girl, her attention now drawn by her pixie-haired mother. They shared a knowing look, relaying the message that they, in fact, did _not_ believe the girl's story.

The young brunette seemed to take the hint and made a quick decision to tell the truth.

"It's true," she pleaded. "I am your daughter." She inhaled deeply, bracing herself for what's to come after her next truth becomes revealed. "And I'm from the future."

This time, Snow couldn't keep prevent from falling limply into her husband's strong arms. You could hear gasps and murmurs from the surrounding audience, but the fact didn't faze Emma in the slightest. What did, however, was that the girl standing in front of her was not onlyclaiming that she was her _daughter_. She was also leading her to believe that she was from _the future!_

"What are you crazy," Emma exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "The future," she mocked with raised brows. "Okay, okay. Where are the hidden cameras? Is this some sort of revenge Regina set up to punish me for bringing back Marian? That woman doesn't quit, does she?"

All during her rant, the girl's face portrayed a rainbow of emotions, but her final one was rage. "Don't talk about Mom like that," she demanded.

"Wha-Did you say Mom?" Surely Emma had misheard her. "I thought you said _I_ was your mom." Now the blonde was just thoroughly confused. She didn't know what to believe. She was about to point out the discrepancy in the girl's story when the young brunette began to speak again.

"You both are." Thank god Snow was already knocked out because all hell would have broken loose at the mere mention of the two women together. As for Emma, her expression was unreadable and her face became extremely pale. Once again, she was at a loss for words.

There was a small lull in the conversation, giving time for the newly-revealed information to sink in. Then a thought occurred to the girl. "Wait, did you say you brought Marian _back?"_

Emma huffed in annoyance, still not sure what to believe at this point. "You're from the future," she played along with obvious sarcasm. "Shouldn't you know that already?"

The girl diverted her gaze to the ground, furrowing her eyebrows in concentration. "Where I'm from, Marian died in the Enchanted Forest." She glanced back into hazel orbs and blanched. "Oh god, Mom. What did you do?"


	3. Chapter 3

Emma and the girl continued trying to prove each other wrong about where she came from, then Snow had finally woken up and suggested that they take the conversation somewhere a little more private. They decided to bring the girl back to Mary Margaret's apartment, and now Emma's in her yellow bug on the way there with the young brunette riding shotgun.

"I miss this bug," the girl noted.

"You've never seen this car before. We've never met," Emma said with a hint of finality.

The girl let out an exasperated sigh and responded, "When are you going to wake up and realize how much you and I are alike?"

"Please, we're nothing alike," denied Emma as she parked her car next to the apartment. As she unbuckled her seatbelt, she turned her head to young girl. She watched as the girl carefully unbuckled her belt and opened the usually unruly door with ease.

 _'Just beginner's luck,'_ Emma justified, even though she knew that even she, herself, couldn't open the door so gracefully on the first try. There's the other thing she noticed! Gracefully. Her mind traced back to Regina and how regal the mayor is, that is, until the young girl spoke and knocked her out of her reverie.

"You coming," joked the young brunette. This time it was Emma who rolled her eyes, stepping from her seat and leading them to the front door of the building. When they were safely inside the apartment, the girl had no trouble making herself 'at home'. She grabbed one of the dining chairs and plopped herself down, crossing her legs on top of the table.

"Feet down," Snow scolded, not thinking much of the fact that she is constantly reminding her own daughter the same exact thing on a daily basis.

The girl groaned as she made a point of taking her feet down, clanking each of her boots on the wooden floor with a thud. _'Much like Emma does,'_ Snow muses.

During the interaction, the blonde had made her way to the fridge and grabbed herself a beer. She had also snagged a bottle of water for the girl. She doesn't know why she felt compelled to do it, she just feels like she's responsible for the girl. Almost maternal. Wait, no. Definitely _not_ maternal.

She visibly shook her head to rid herself of the though and plopped down in the seat next to the girl and slid the water bottle towards her.

Mary Margaret sat across from the girl and folded her hands neatly on the table, posture as straight as an arrow. "So," Snow began. "What's your name, sweetie?"

Both Emma and the girl let out a snort at the pet name. Snow watched and observed the pair.

"My name's Amelia," answered the girl. "Amelia Swan-Mills." At the sound of her surname, Emma performed an Emmy-worthy spit take.

"I'll get some napkins," Emma mumbled inaudibly, not bothering to wait for a reaction as she rushed to the kitchen.

Amelia eyed Snow, who watched her daughter's retreating form, then asked, "May I use the bathroom?"

"Sure," the pixie-haired woman chirped, almost too perkily. "It's right over there," she said, indicating towards a door to right of the kitchen. Amelia muttered her thanks and made her way to the room.

When Emma returned with half a dozen paper towels, she flashed a wide-eyed expression towards her mother. "Where's Amelia," she asked hesitantly, fearing her assumptions were correct.

"Oh, she just went to the bathroom," her mother waved off.

Without warning, Emma bolted to the bathroom door and swung it open. She could hear her mother's scolding her from behind, but she didn't listen.

When Snow caught up with the woman, she adorned the same expression as she stared at the opened window, curtains blowing from the breeze.

"She's gone."


	4. Chapter 4

Amelia ran as fast has her legs could carry her until she reached her home on Mifflin Street. Sure it wasn't _her_ home, but it was familiar…and it was the only place she could think to run to. When she arrived at the front gate, she paused. She needed a plan. It's not like she would be welcomed with open arms by her mother. No, this Regina was different, which was very unfortunate because what Amelia truly wanted in that moment was to be held by her mother.

She decided to wait to tell her mother the truth, due to Emma's reaction of disbelief. She would tell her later, she conceded. For now, she just wants to be near her mother that she loved so much.

Amelia knocked on the door of the mansion and waited patiently until she could hear heels clicking against a wooden surface, signaling her mother's presence. When the door swung open, Amelia gaped.

"Please close your mouth, dear," Regina chided. "You'll catch flies." Immediately Amelia complied.

After a moment of silence, Regina concluded that the girl was waiting to be prompted to speak, so she asked in her most authoritative voice, "Why are you here?"

"I," Amelia hesitated. "I'm one of Henry's friends…from school." Regina gave the girl a once over, likely sizing her up and silently asking an unspoken question on whether or not this girl is a _special_ kind of friend to her son.

At the thought, Amelia quickly added, "We're working on a project together in science. He said I could come over. Sorry, I thought he would've cleared it with you," she lied surprisingly easily. Regina nodded, stepping to the side while allowing the girl to enter.

"Well," Regina began. "Henry's not here at the moment. He's visiting a friend and should be back shortly. Would you like anything to drink while you wait?"

Amelia quickly thought to her mother's flawless homemade apple juice that she always kept a pitcher of. "Do you have apple juice by chance?"

Instantly Regina's eyes lit up. "Of course, dear! In fact, I just made a new pitcher this morning using fresh apples I grew in my garden." Amelia smiled, recognizing the familiar gleam in her mother's eyes that usually followed whenever someone mentioned Emma.

Regina excused herself and disappeared into the kitchen area as Amelia observed her surroundings. The house seemed emptier and hallow without her blonde mother. Everything seemed wrong.

When Regina returned, she did a double take, almost dropping the freshly-poured glass. For a second she had thought she'd seen Emma instead of the young girl. She shook her head at the thought and handed the glass to the teenager, who then thanked her.

"You don't have many pictures," Amelia observed, oblivious to how rude that sounded since she had just met the woman. Regina was a bit taken aback by the comment, but let it slide due to the girl's nonthreatening tone. She probably didn't mean any harm by it.

"I have them all in scrapbooks downstairs for safe keeping," she responded. Amelia took a large sip of her drink then set it down on a nearby table.

"I need to tell you something," she began. She needed her mother to know the truth and the guilt of lying to her was weighing down on her. She knew she couldn't do this alone.

"What is it, dear?"

Amelia took in a deep breath, about to speak, then the front door busted open.

"Miss Swan! What the–" Regina began, fuming.

Emma flashed her an apologetic look, then turned her attention back to Amelia. "You're coming with me," she demanded, taking the girl by her arm.

Instantly Regina snapped at her, "You cannot barge into my house and you most certainly can _not_ force someone to do _anything!"_

Amelia can't help but inwardly cringe at her parents arguing with each other.

"This has nothing to do with you, Regina," Emma interjected, grip still firmly on the girl's arm.

"Get out of my house, Miss Swan, or else," she warned, challenging the blonde.

Emma was about to retort with a snarky comeback but Amelia cut her off shouting, "Stop it you two! Just stop!"

"I'm only trying to help you, dear," Regina tried to soothe.

"No," she continued. "No one here is _helping!_ Not you, not Ma, not _anyone!"_ Amelia began to break into sobs.

Regina flashed Emma a confused expression, silently asking the blonde if she'd heard her right. Emma nodded.

"She claims she's from some alternate future, Regina," Emma explained. "And she believes that we're her parents."

Regina gasped in shock.


	5. Chapter 5

A long-lasting rant and four glasses of apple cider later, Regina was ready to talk their situation through like a reasonable human being. They were all sitting inside Regina's living room with Henry watching TV upstairs.

"So," Amelia prompted her mother.

"I'm going to need a little more time to let everything you've said sink in," Regina responded evenly. Both Emma and Amelia's eyes bugged out of their sockets when they realized what her response suggested.

"So you believe me," Amelia concluded enthusiastically, casting a beaming smile at Emma. Instantly Regina denied, stating that she's not saying her 'theory' is right or wrong. Amelia questioned her but then gave in, assuming that her response was the most she was going to get from the woman.

Emma just shook her head, not wanting to believe any of it. This was all too _crazy_ for her, and she's _been_ with crazy, she's _survived_ crazy. She doesn't want to _live_ with crazy, too! Emma huffs in annoyance and stands from her chair.

"Where are you going," Regina demanded.

"Oh, so now you want me to stay," Emma accused. She knew it was a low blow mentioning her bringing back Marian, but she was desperate to escape this awkward situation.

Regina casted her a warning glare. "Of course I don't _want_ you to stay, but if Amelia _does_ , then…you can." Emma studies Regina's face carefully, then hesitantly sat back in her seat. "So, kid. What do we do now?"

"For one," Amelia begins. "Don't call me kid, I hate that." Emma rolls her eyes, then was met with a glare from the older brunette. Amelia sighs. "Honestly, I don't know what to do. I was kind of hoping you might, Mom," she confessed, turning toward Regina. At the sound of the girl calling her mom, Regina felt strange. She wasn't uncomfortable but she definitely wasn't comfortable, either.

"I'm not sure I can help you until I fully understand _and_ believe your story," she answered truthfully. Amelia offered a small nod, searching her memories for something to convince the woman. Then she thought of the perfect thing.

"What if I could _show_ you I was telling the truth?" Both women's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Emma was the first to speak, "How is that possible?"

"Magic," Regina answered. Amelia nodded.

"Like the dreamcatcher you used on Pongo," Amelia explained. "You can capture memories and watch them as if they were on the television. It's…pretty amazing."

"Wait, how did you," Emma began, wondering how Amelia knew of the event. Then she decided to ignore it and focus on _seeing_ the truth, rather than being told about it. "Okay, we'll do it your way. Where can we find a dreamcatcher?"

"We don't need one," Regina answered again. "I know of a spell that can relay memories simply by contact."

"Wait, so we're just going to touch her and watch her life," Emma questioned, suddenly a bit creeped out by the method.

"Yes. For me, it always seemed to work better on getting the information strait from the source. Also, it allows the person who possesses the memories to control what we're able to see. If her story about the future _is_ correct, we have to avoid learning too much so we don't cause ripples," Regina explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Emma nodded, beginning to understand the concept. "Okay, so let's do this?"

Amelia moved closer to the two women, sitting on the sofa between them. Regina turned to face her and place each hand on the girl's temples. Both brunettes closed their eyes as Regina worked her magic. Before Regina had fully traveled into Amelia's mind, Emma grabbed her wrist and was taken with her, both being sucked into the white light which was Amelia's subconscious.

The women landed with a thud on the wooden floors of Regina's home. If they didn't know better, they would've said that the magic hadn't done anything. The mansion was almost identical, aside from the fact that there were pictures _everywhere._ They both got up from the floor, smoothing down their clothes and fixing their hair when they heard the sound of someone coming down the stairs.

Instinctively they both went to hide, crouching down beside the couch. They glanced up and realized that the source of the noise was Amelia, both of her parents hot on her heels. When she reached the bottom of the staircase, Amelia turned around, her long locks almost smacking her Ma in the face.

"Where do you think you're going," Regina demanded, eyebrows raised in question. Amelia rolled her eyes, knowing quite well that her mother already knew the answer. "Well," she prompted.

"Out, okay," Amelia blurted, her arms flailing about in frustration.

"No, not _okay,"_ Emma joined in. "You're grounded, remember?"

"Oh, come on! That wasn't my fault! The guy was driving _too_ _slowly_ ," she tried to justify, failing miserably.

"Or you were driving _too fast_ ," Regina chimed in, arms crossed around her chest to display her superiority. Amelia let out a deep huff and threw her keys and jacket on the floor. She ran back up the stairs and shouted, 'you're ruining my life' before slamming her bedroom door shut.

When she was gone, Regina let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. "What are we going to do about her," she questioned her wife. Emma proceeded to draw smooth circles on the brunette's back, knowing it would calm her down and responded, "The only thing we can. Be her parents."

"But she hates us," Regina explained. Emma laughed, receiving a playful glare from her partner in return.

"She doesn't hate us. She's just at that point in life where she's struggling with a lot of things. Trust me, I know what it's like. I've been there." Regina lifts her gaze to her wife's beautiful hazel orbs, then uses her hand to guide the woman's lips to her own. When they broke the kiss she said, "How did I get so lucky to end up with you, Miss Swan?"

Then all faded to black.


	6. Chapter 6

When they awoke from their dream-like state, they didn't know what to say. They now had proof that what Amelia was telling them was the truth, which they wanted, but now they know more than that–that they are _truly_ a couple in the future. And by the looks of it, a very happy one.

Amelia was the first to speak. "How'd it go," she asked hopefully. Both women shared a look.

"Fine," Emma shrugged off with mock nonchalance.

"Just fine," Amelia inquired in disbelief. Out of all of the possible reactions she could think up in her head, _that_ _one_ had definitely _not_ been one of them. Her expression dropped. "Did it not work?"

"No," Regina interjected immediately. "It did. It _most certainly_ did." Now Amelia was thoroughly confused.

"So you now know I was telling the truth," her expression now curved into a smile. "Now you can help me fix everything!" She shifted her eyes between the two women, who were staring at her with solemn expressions. "Then what's wrong?" She wasn't understanding why her parents weren't jumping for joy at the knowledge of their happy endings being a possibility.

Regina shifted closer to Amelia and placed her own hand on top of the younger brunette's. "Amelia, it's not just that easy. You said it yourself, things were changed now that didn't happen in the future. Maybe it _was_ meant to be this way and fate was just restoring itself."

Amelia couldn't believe what she was hearing. "No," she yelled, abruptly standing from her seat. "You're just afraid of being happy! Both of you don't think you deserve a happy ending, and when one presents itself, you deny it and try your best to destroy the possibility before you can get your hopes crushed again." Emma couldn't help but think Amelia was hitting the nail on the head with her accusation.

"What's so wrong with that," Emma challenged, jumping up from the chair. "Everything good that's _ever_ happened to me has been taken away, so excuse me if I'm a little hesitant to believe there's a happy ending out there for me because a _fifteen-year-old_ told me so!"

Amelia could feel her eyes begin to swell with tears due to her mother's tone with her. She couldn't take it anymore. She needed her _real_ parents to help her and these were _definitely not_ them. Amelia bolted from the house, slamming the door behind her.

At the sound of the door closing, a figure emerged from the shadows of the doorframe.

"Henry," questioned Regina, tears forming in her eyes. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," he answered in an uncharacteristically spiteful voice. "I can't believe you two! Everything she said was right, you both are _cowards!"_ And with his last exclamation he followed Amelia's path out the door, leaving his two mothers staring after him in bewilderment.

* * *

Amelia made it halfway down Mifflin Street when she heard a voice calling after her, causing her to turn around. It was her brother, Henry. She stopped abruptly, allowing him to catch up to her.

"Henry," she exclaimed. "You're so…young!" She took in his teenaged-form. He was wearing a graphic t-shirt displaying the logo 'Marvel' on it in red letters. She recalled a time when older Henry mentioned his love for their characters as a teen. It was sort of an addiction of his to read the comic books.

When Henry caught up to the young brunette he hunched over with a hand on each knee, trying to regain his ragged breathing. "I really need to start running more," he mumbled under his breath.

"What do you want?" She wasn't sure if she could truth this version of her brother. "Are you here to tell me I'm crazy, too?" She casted him a challenging glare.

"No, of course not," Henry soothed. "I'm here to help." At the sound of her brother's confession, her eyes lit up in joy and she broke out in a smile.

"I knew I could count on you, Hen." He mirrored her expression at the sound of the nickname, which indicated to him that the two of them are close in the future.

"So," He began. "How about we start by you telling me how you got here, because time travel…yeah, that's super cool." Amelia laughed at her brother's astonishment about her current situation. Leave it to Henry to always find a way to make her laugh during stressful times.

"Okay, but let's find somewhere a little more private to talk. I don't want _certain people_ to find out about this. Can I trust that you'll keep what I tell you just between us?" Amelia hoped she could. She was dying to let go of some of the burden she was holding by keeping it all to herself.

"Of course!" Henry was determined to help Amelia get his parents together. If he was being honest, that has been one of his goals for quite some time. He could see the way that they look at each other when they think nobody's watching. Henry thought for a moment then added, "And I know just the place."


	7. Chapter 7

When they had finally made it to the location of Henry's old 'castle', they sat together on a large rock overlooking the ocean. The weather was surprisingly pleasant for the season and there was a cool breeze in the air.

"So, how did it work," Henry questioned immediately, dying to know the answer. "Time travel," he clarified. Amelia smiled at him, then let her face fall as she replied, "Unfortunately, I had to make a deal with Gold."

"What, why would you do that?" There was no accusation or judgement in his tone, he was simply curious.

"It was my only choice. The future," she began. "It was very different from the one I grew up in. This one was darker, and in it, there were _no_ happy endings."

"But how is that possible? Is _all_ that because Ma brought Marian back?" Henry was too smart for his own good, having overheard Snow and David's conversation earlier about Amelia's arrival in Storybrooke.

"I'm not sure," she answered truthfully. "The time portal just took me to where everything started to go wrong. Honestly, I don't know if I'm strong enough to fix this." She looked down at her hands, avoiding Henry's sympathetic gaze.

"I believe you are." She let out a mirthless laugh and said, "You don't even know me."

Henry nodded. "That's true, but what I do know that anyone who's strong enough to travel through _time_ can accomplish anything if they truly believe they can." Amelia searched his eyes for any signs of deception but saw none. She huffed, then used the back of her hand to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"I'm just scared, Henry. I don't know what to do."

Henry took in a deep breath, debating on what his next words would be. "Well," he started. "What do you remember being told about _this_ time in _your_ past?"

Amelia felt the corners of her mouth twitch upward at the thought. "When Ma returned from the past with Hook, Mom realized that she was with Robin for all the wrong reasons. She had constantly been living her life according to what fate told her was _destined_ to be: the dark curse, the savior, her 'soulmate'." Henry nodded, urging her to continue.

"She realized that the only true way to be in control of her life was to stop _waiting_ for things to happen to her and start _happening_ to things," she paused, recalling her mother's retelling of the story. "So, she did." Henry smiled. "She broke up with Robin Hood, then slowly she and Ma became great friends, until one day when they became more," she finished.

"Wait," Henry processed aloud. "So are you saying that it took _years_ of friendship for them to develop feelings for each other?"

Amelia shook her head. "No, it just took them that long to get off their asses and go after what they want. You know how stubborn they can be." Henry nodded dejectedly.

"So, you're stuck here until we get them together," He concluded. "If what you're saying is true, it might take some time."

"Hopefully not. What I was _planning_ to do was to play matchmaker. You know, set up situations when they end up in a room alone together. Stuff like that." Amelia shook her head. "I know it sounds stupid."

"Actually," Henry commented. "It sounds like _great_ idea! I think it could possibly work!"

"Really?" Amelia wasn't sure if Henry was just trying to make her feel better or truly believed that this 'plan' of hers was a good one.

"Yeah!" Henry was now standing, anxious to begin planning their operation. "Let's do this! But first, we need a name." Amelia chuckled at her brother's constant need to put names to schemes and operations. It comforted her in a sense.

"How about Operation Matchmaker," she tried.

"Nah, too obvious," he pointed out. Then the perfect name came to his mind.

"Operation Swan Queen."


	8. Chapter 8

**Every Dog Has Its Day**

 _Description:_ _Emma bring Amelia to the park. While there, the young girl sees a stray dog and begs the blonde to take it home. What happens when the blonde gives into the girl's demands and has to tell her wife, Regina, the 'good' news?_

"Higher, Mama," exclaimed the small child. "Higher!"

The blonde chuckled at the girl's demanding tone, having recognized it as a trait of her wife's, and proceeded to push the child's swing with more force.

"Okay, Amelia, but we've got to go soon," responded the blonde, taking on a more serious tone. "It's almost dinner time and you know how much Mommy doesn't like it when we're late." The little girl nodded, slowing her leg movements and causing the swing to come to a stop. Making sure she wouldn't fall, the girl hopped out of the levitated chair and landed securely on her feet. Her mother watched her movements with adoration. How is it that, in the end, fate turned out in _her_ favor?

Rounding the swing, Emma took the girl's hand in her own and they began their short journey back to the savior's bug. After they had made it halfway to their destination, something caught the young girl's eye.

"Amelia," Emma called after the sprinting child as she took off towards the girl. "Amelia, you can't-"

Before she could finish her statement, the young brunette came to a halt before a small dog, likely a beagle, who was wandering around the park. Glancing up at her mother, Amelia adorned her best pouty face and stared at the woman with pleading eyes. Emma already knew where this was heading.

"No, no," Emma answered her daughter's unspoken question.

"But _whyyy not,"_ the girl whined, petting the dog with her hand. "Grandma Snow and Eli have one!" She had to give her daughter points for persuasion, she was damn good at it.

Emma saw the dog glance up at her with the same saddened expression her daughter had been sporting and practically melted at the sight.

 _'No,'_ she chided herself. _'Regina would_ kill _you, then the dog, then you again. Bottom line, NO!'_

Still the dog was gazing up at the blonde and Emma couldn't take the combination of the two's pleading any longer.

"Fine," Emma conceded, throwing her hands into the air. Amelia jumped to her feet at her mother's approval and began bouncing up and down. While she was rejoicing, the dog began barking and joined in her celebration.

Emma shook her head thinking to herself, _'What have I done?'_

Regina had almost finished dinner when she heard the front door open then close. She didn't hear her wife's usual greeting, so she decided to investigate. When the brunette had made it to the hallway, she was met by her wife, who was wearing a sorrowful expression. Instantly, Regina knew _something_ was up.

"What did you do," the brunette warned, raising her eyebrows at the blonde. Emma was close to retorting 'how come anytime something was wrong, her wife would always accuse _her_ as being the cause', but then she thought better of the situation and responded, "I might have…accidentally…sort of…"

The brunette was getting tired of Emma beating around the bush. "Out with it already," she demanded. Yup, Amelia definitely gets that tone from Regina.

"I let Amelia get a dog," the blonde let out in a jumble of words, Regina almost missing what the woman had said entirely. _Almost._

"You did what?!"

Chapter 2

"You did **what?!"**

Emma winced at the force of her wife's tone, then defended, "I really didn't have a choice! You should've seen the way she was looking at me!" Regina pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger. "And the dog…"

"I don't want to hear about the dog," the brunette exclaimed throwing her hands in the air. Instantly she regretted the action, after seeing her wife flinch, and she drew in a deep breath. Taking on a calmer tone she asked, "Where is _it?"_

Grateful that the blonde didn't receive another verbal lashing, Emma informed her wife that the dog was with their daughter in the back yard. Apparently, the dog had jumped through a mud puddle, so Amelia promised to wash it before bringing him in the house.

"Don't worry," the blonde tried to soothe. "We'll make flyers for him and he'll be gone before you know it." Emma flashed the woman a smile full of mock confidence, which was detected by the brunette and rewarded with a skeptical gaze.

"You better hope you're right." With those last words, Regina returned to the kitchen, the silence between the two woman challenging the blonde to test her luck further.

Emma released a breath that she wasn't aware she was holding in and said to herself, "Well, that went better than expected."

When the blonde arrived in the back yard, to check her daughter's progress with bathing the creature, she was met with an amusing sight. Before her stood her daughter, drenched from the water erupting from the hose, flashing the mutt a very Regina-esque death stare.

 _'If looks could kill,'_ joked Emma to herself. _'Regina would_ love _that, wouldn't she?'_

"How's it going, kid?" The blonde tossed her daughter a towel, which was much appreciated, and attempted to stifle another chuckle at the sight. The beagle stared up at the blonde mother while wagging its tail, flicking droplets of water every which way.

"Terrible," the girl exclaimed, pouting at her failed efforts. Emma shook her head at the girl and kneeled down in front of her so they were eye-level.

"Amelia," the woman began. "Taking care of a pet is hard work. You seem to be doing a _great_ job." At her mother's compliment, the young brunette smiled. "Really," the girl questioned, furrowing her tiny brows. Emma nodded at her daughter and the girl's smile widened, her mother now sporting an identical one. "So, we can keep him?"

Emma's face dropped instantly, her daughter's mimicking her actions. Taking the hint, the girl whined, "But _whyyy_ not?" Emma disliked whining just as much as she did accident reports.

"Because," she retorted, her voice taking on a superior tone. "Like I said, pets require _a lot_ of work…and I'm sure this little guy has a family out there who misses him." Amelia was going to interrupt her mother's statement by saying that she'd take care of the dog, but then the thought of the animal already having a home made her sad. Tears began to gather in the little girl's eyes and her mother was quick to notice.

"Amelia," Emma breathed, all signs of sternness aside. "Chances are this little guy has a home and the best thing we can do for him _right now_ is to comfort him until his family claims him." The girl looked up and met her mother's eyes with her own hazel ones, and thought of something.

"But what if they _don't_ claim him?" Emma knew this question was coming. There was no way she could avoid it and it's not like the girl would allow for them to take him to the animal shelter if no one claims him.

The blonde raised her eyebrows and responded, "Then we'd have to find him a new home on our own." Hopefully that would be a good enough answer. Regina's already upset with her for letting the 'beast' stay with them for the time being. Image what her reaction would be if they _did_ keep him. Emma visibly shivered at the thought. That's not a scenario she wants to delve deeper into.

"Could we keep him," Amelia asked while attempting to sound innocent, though her eyes told volumes to the blonde. Emma pondered her next response, thinking of a way to make both her daughter _and_ her wife happy. Well, she could ask her parents to take him…or if worse comes to worse she could _pay_ someone to take the dog. Well, in that case, telling her daughter if no one claims it wouldn't do much harm if there's no chance of that actually becoming an issue.

Emma reviewed her choice over, once more, in her head then nodded to herself in approval. She thought this was the _perfect_ solution. "I guess it could be… _possible."_ Right as the word left her mouth, she heard her daughter squeal in joy. "But only if you take extra good care of him and we can't find it a home."

Pretending to hear her mother's final statements, Amelia nodded vigorously then spoke to the dog. "I'm going to name you Lucky, 'cause you were lucky I found you." Emma couldn't help but smile at her daughter's name choice and reasoning. "I'm going to be the bestest momma ever, I promise," the girl finished, hugging the dog around its neck.

 _'What have I gotten myself into?'_

Chapter 3

Henry and Amelia were now on their way to Regina's vault. They had devised the perfect plan in trying to set their parents up together, but they needed a little help from magic in order to do so.

When they arrived inside the crypt, Henry quickly made his way to the coffin, sliding it from its position and revealing the descending staircase. They tiptoed down the stairs and when they were sure of Regina's absence, they visibly relaxed.

"We're good," announced Henry. Amelia nodded as she took the lead, knowing her mother's vault like the back of her hand. "Where _exactly_ are we going?" Henry knew what they were looking for but he was beginning to grow nervous, not familiar with going _this_ deep into his mother's sanctum.

"You'll see," she responded cryptically, adorning a small smirk. They continued to walk further down the dark corridor until they both came to an abrupt halt, being met by a solid, stone wall in their path.

"It's a dead end," Henry pointed out.

"Really, Sherlock," she deadpanned, reaching for something inside her jacket pocket. Henry watched in fascination as Amelia pulled out a key and inserted it into a seemingly invisible hole in the wall. When she turned her wrist, he heard a click.

Instantly the stone wall opened, a loud noise erupting, echoing into the halls, due to the movement. When the movement stopped, they made their way inside the darkened room. Amelia lightly traced the wall with her hand until it came in contact with something solid. Seconds later, light emitted from a tall chandelier in the center of the ginormous space, revealing the room to the children in all its magnificent glory. Henry stared at the space in awe.

The mysterious room was similar to Regina's office, the theme being white and black with earthy patterns of trees adorning the walls. There were many sections of the room, as well. There was a dining area, a small kitchenette, a bed, bathroom, and a living space. Henry assumed she had created it in case the curse didn't turn out in her favor. It would've been the perfect place to take refuge and no one would've ever found her.

"Impressive, right," Amelia said, interrupting his train of thought, with a knowing grin. Henry couldn't find his voice so he settled for a simple head nod. The girl chuckled at her brother's expression and entered deeper into the space. "Would you like anything to drink," she asked, opening the small fridge of the kitchenette.

"Um," he hesitated, "No thanks." This all felt weird to him. His mother had never shared this room with him before, but here is her future daughter acting as if she owns the place. This just made him realize that he really doesn't know _everything_ about his mother. What other things has she been keeping from him?

"Henry, are you alright," Amelia questioned with concern, taking notice of his hurt expression. She took a long sip from her drink, waiting for the boy to respond.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied. "Just weird being in here, I guess." It wasn't a _complete_ lie, he justified in his mind. Amelia eyed him carefully and promised herself to bring it up again at a later time. For now, they had a mission.

"Great, then let's get started," she announced, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

They spent about two hours in the hideout, using Regina's materials she'd kept hidden behind a bookcase. It had taken Amelia some time to translate the recipe for their potion, but when she did, they came out victorious.

When they left the hideout, Amelia made sure to return everything to its proper location. She managed to concoct a silencer potion for the stone wall, in case Regina had returned while they were inside. Amelia was glad she did so because once they exited the space, they could hear their mother's click of her heals coming down the staircase. They instinctively took cover behind a tall trunk, which Amelia knew to contain Cora's old belongings.

"What do we do," Henry whispered in a panic. Amelia mimicked his look of panic, informing him that she's as clueless as him. They could hear Regina mumbling curse words to herself and could pick out their names between her short sentences. They did _not_ want to be stuck here forced to listen to their mother's ranting. It could take _forever!_

At the thought, Amelia came up with an idea. "Grab my hand," she ordered Henry. He complied with a questioning glace, which she chose to ignore. Amelia willed herself to focus as she attempted to channel her magic. Puffs of Red smoke engulfed the two, Regina still oblivious to their presence, and then they disappeared.

Then next thing both of them knew, they were back at Henry's castle with their potion.


	9. Chapter 9

Meanwhile, when Henry and Amelia were on their escapade, Emma and Regina were left with their thoughts. They didn't freak out _too_ much about Henry's disappearance, knowing that the boy only needed his space to think, which they both understood.

Currently Emma was standing near her car, which was parked aside a ledge overlooking the town. She needed to get away – to _run_ away. Ever since she was young, the blonde would travel to the highest point available to her to help her think. When she was in the foster system, roofs were her best friends. There was something about looking down at all the buildings and people from a bird's eye view that made Emma feel as if all her problems were _so_ small, compared to everything else in the world. It was always refreshing to her to at things from another perspective.

As for Regina, she often fled to her vault whenever she needed time to sort things out. It was quiet and she knew that no one would dare bother her in her sanctum. There she could mull over the previous events, even write them down on paper so she could see how things led to another. She always had trouble learning how to show love or comfort others, mostly due to her and her mother's strained relationship while she was growing up. Her knowledge of the fact led her to writing down her interactions regularly, especially ones with Henry, so she could have a better feeling for what people responded positively or negatively towards.

Today, however, she didn't transport herself strait to her vault to write. Instead, she went to her bedroom. She didn't know _why_ she did this, she just felt as if she should. When she arrived in the room, she made her way over to her jewelry box, located on her vanity. She opened it and carefully removed a necklace that had a tree-shaped pendant hanging from its silver chain. It was the same necklace she was given on her sixteenth birthday by her father, the _same_ one Amelia had around her own neck.

Regina didn't know the reason why she was so shocked upon seeing the girl wear her necklace. After all, she was _her daughter._ Don't parents hand down their things to their children? Yes, but this was different. This necklace symbolized something very special to Regina. It symbolized hope.

Sure it sounds cliché but it was the truth. She had endured so much sorrow as a young child that having something, such as an apple tree, could keep you looking forward to a brighter tomorrow. Maybe this year's harvest wasn't as good but _next_ year's might be even better.

Regina played with the pendant between her fingers, reminiscing about the past, then she heard a knock on her front door. She hastily made her way downstairs, thinking that Henry might've returned home. When she arrived at the door and swung it open, she was disappointed to see Snow White standing on the other side.

"Nice to see you too," joked Snow as she awkwardly shifted her weight between legs.

"What can I do for you," Regina grimaced.

Mary Margaret averted her gaze from the woman's intense stare and inhaled deeply before responding, "I'm looking for Emma. Is she here?"

"Do you see her yellow monstrosity of a car in my driveway," Regina shot back. Snow glanced over her shoulder at the vacant spot on the pavement, then turned back to the woman. "Right," she nodded apologetically. Regina hoped that she'd leave the conversation at that and be on her way, but of course Snow wouldn't give her the pleasure.

"I know that the two of you are odds," Snow began, much to Regina's dismay. "But if there was any way possible for you two to _try_ to get along for now, it would mean a lot." At Regina's incredulous expression Snow added, "At least until the whole Amelia thing is over and done with, then you two can go back to wanting to slash each other's throats." Regina let out a mirthless laugh, though it surprised her that she didn't gain any pleasure at the thought of killing the blonde. It must be because she's learned to accept that Emma's also Henry's parent, she wrote off.

Regina nodded at the woman's request, though she didn't know why, and closed the door. Seconds later, she poof'd herself, as the savior calls it, into her vault to record the recent events.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning Emma arrived at Granny's Diner and sat in her normal booth, the day's print of the Daily Mirror in her hand. Immediately, Ruby approached her with her usual order, one hot chocolate with cinnamon and a bear claw. She thanked Ruby and began reading the front page of the paper, taking occasional sips of her hot cocoa in the process.

Due to her mind being enthralled by the comic's section of the paper, Emma failed to notice Henry and Amelia scooting into the seat across from her. A few seconds passed then Emma heard one of them clear their throat. Her head immediately snapped upward, allowing the paper to fall from her hands.

"What the-where the _hell_ have you two been," she interrogated, using her best authoritative tone. "You've been gone all night!"

Both children's faces remained stoic as Amelia responded, "We're fine. We just had some errands to run." At the young brunette's confession, Emma furrowed her brow.

Before she brought herself to ask any further questions about their night, she thought better of the situation and decided to call their other mother, not wanting there to be any _more_ reasons for Regina to hate her guts.

"I'm calling your mother," Emma announced, pulling out her phone from her pants pocket.

"Don't bother," Amelia commented. "We've already told her we're here." Emma took another sip of her cocoa, trying to think of what angle they were playing at, as both of the teenager's eyes were trained on Emma's drink. When she placed the mug back on the table, they shared a knowing look. Once again, Emma was thoroughly confused. She was about to bring up their smug expression when Regina entered the diner.

Instantly Emma's eyes were glued to her petite form. Regina glanced around briefly, then spotted the two children and strutted over towards them, still unaware of the blonde's presence. Henry felt anxiety in his chest at his mother's stern expression.

"Come on you two," she ordered, not leaving any room for argument. "We're going home."

Henry looked over to, who he now considered, his sister and she gave him a nod of resignation. He nodded back then stood from his seat and allowed Amelia to get out, as well. Emma wasn't going to give up that easily, so she stood up with determination. "I'm going, too."

"Miss Swan, need I remind you what happened last time we all were in the same room?"

"That was different," the blonde replied. "Besides, that was _both_ of our faults. Now that we've all had time to think things over, I believe that we can put aside our differences and talk this through." Regina was about to tell the woman off, then she remembered her promise to Snow. Not that she owed the woman _anything,_ let alone a promise.

Regina huffed in annoyance. Having children has truly made her 'soft'. "Fine, but this 'niceness' of mine is only temporary, Miss Swan," she informed. She moved closer to the blonde, leaning into her face and whispered, "Don't let it get to your head." All Emma could do was roll her eyes at the woman.

As the group began to walk towards the door, Emma began to feel dizzy all of the sudden. It had been bearable at first, but when they got outside the diner and approached Regina' vehicle, she couldn't keep herself from collapsing on the ground. The world momentarily went dark.

Hearing the thud behind them, the three spun on their feet and noticed Emma's horizontal position. The two kids shared a panicked look as Regina rushed to the blonde's side.

"Emma," she tried, holding the blonde's head in her hands for support. "Emma!" Regina was about to call for Henry to dial Whale when Emma jolted up, suddenly awakened.

"What the hell happened," she questioned, taking in her new surroundings then focusing her eyes on the two teens.

"That's what I'd like to know," Regina snapped, following Emma's gaze. Both of the teens' faces appeared guilty and remorseful under their parent's scrutiny.

 _"You really had me worried, Emma,"_ Emma heard Regina's voice echo in her head.

"What," Emma mumbled, her attention now on the older brunette, who was still hovering over her body. Regina turned her gaze back to the blonde in her arms.

"I said, 'That's what I'd like to know'," Regina reiterated.

 _"I really hope she didn't hit her head hard. If these two had anything to do with it,"_ she heard Regina's voice speak again.

 _"Holy shit,"_ Emma thought to herself. _"I can read Regina's mind."_


	11. Chapter 11

The entire ride home was very awkward for _everyone._ Amelia and Henry were silent because they knew they were in trouble, Emma's head was pounding in her skull due to the fall, and Regina was fuming.

When they arrived at the mansion, Regina told the kids to bring Emma inside and lay her on the couch. While they were doing so, Regina busied herself with finding some pain meds for the woman, along with an ice pack for her head. Once again, Regina had no idea why she was taking care of the woman she vowed to hate the moment she laid eyes on that distasteful red leather jacket, but here she was making sure she was comfortable.

Emma was beginning to get a headache from all of Regina's incoherent rambling going inside of her head. She just wished it would stop and she'd be put out of her misery. What did the kids _do_ to her?

As if on cue, Regina entered the living room with an ice pack and a bottle of Advil in hand.

"Here, take this," she said, offering out her hand for the blonde to retrieve her desired items. The blonde voiced her thanks, then proceeded to hold the ice pack to her forehead.

All the while, Amelia and Henry exchanged glances, asking the silent question on whether or not they should leave the two women alone. They decided to make a break for it. They had managed to move two steps away when Regina's voice rang in their ears demanding that they, 'hold it right there'.

Let's just say that when Amelia and Henry were forced to tell Regina what had truly happened back at the diner, she did _not_ take it well. There was loud yelling, expressive hand gestures, and more yelling. Henry had never experienced his mother being so angry at him before and it caused his eyes to swell with tears. As for Amelia, she was used to being lectured by the woman.

After Regina was finished lecturing the two about the dangers of magic, she returned to the living room using the excuse 'just in case something _else_ goes wrong with your little experiment'. Apparently Amelia hadn't made the potion completely right, resulting in Emma having terrible headaches and occasional blackouts. Thankfully the potion's effects only lasted a couple of hours, not that it changed how pissed off Regina was at the pair.

The kids were sent to Henry's room where they were put under a containment spell, keeping them from escaping. When Regina returned to where Emma was, she was surprised to see the blonde sleeping peacefully. Her maternal instincts kicking in, Regina placed a throw blanket along Emma's form. She sat beside the blonde's feet and observed the woman as she rested. What Regina failed to notice was Emma's millisecond of a stir that resulted from the throw being place on her, causing her to begin to awaken.

Emma was far too exhausted to open her eyes. She wasn't awake enough to remember the blackout at Granny's from earlier that day, so she believed that she was taking a nap on the faculty couch in the station, as per usual. That is, until she heard Regina's voice ringing in her ears, again.

 _"You really are beautiful when you sleep, Miss Swan."_

 _"Oh, so we're having one of_ those _dreams again,"_ Emma mused to herself, a small smirk adorning her face.

Regina shook herself from her thoughts. Of course she believed the blonde was attractive, that much was obvious from the first moment she laid eyes on the woman, but she couldn't allow herself to _fall_ for the woman. She was the enemy, or at least the daughter of the enemy. Regina recalled the memory Amelia had shared with the two women. Are they seriously destined to be together? How is that possible? The Savior and the Evil Queen. Regina shook her head at the thought. Preposterous! It's simply insane, is what it is.

 _"I cannot be in love with Emma Swan."_ Emma's eyes snapped open wide after hearing the brunette woman's admission.

"Emma," Regina gasped, standing abruptly from her spot and smoothing down the wrinkles in her dress. "You're awake."

"Yeah," Emma responded, eyes still wearing a 'dear in the headlights' expression. "Um, Regina," the blonde began.

"…Yes?"

"Are you in love with me?"


	12. Chapter 12

"Are you in love with me?"

Regina was caught off-guard by the blonde's bluntness, but she was also struck by the fact that she honestly didn't know the answer. Was she in love with Emma? Is that why she would feel her heart pound in her chest whenever the blonde was around? Emma was the first person to make her feel things, aside from Henry, during the curse. In fact, she was the _first_ person who's made her feel truly alive since…well, since Daniel.

This time, it was Regina's turn to adorn the 'dear in the headlights' look. Before Emma could retract her statement, the brunette vanished in a puff of purple smoke, leaving behind a regretful blonde with a pounding headache.

While Regina was gone, Emma had called Snow and David, asking them to pick up herself and the kids. They arrived a short time later and now they are all in Mary Margaret's apartment with two boxes of pizza on the counter.

"So," Snow began hesitantly. "You asked her if she _loved_ you?"

"I know," Exclaimed the blonde, headache now long forgotten. "I'm an idiot!" She let out a huff of air and rested her head on folded arms.

"I don't think…you're an…idiot," David tried. Emma slowly raised her head to send her father a questioning glare. Snow casted him a look saying, 'it's okay, I got this'. He visibly relaxed.

"Honey, do you…like Regina?"

"Of course I do," Emma answered as if it was no-big-deal. "She's my friend, or at least was…you know, before the whole 'Marian' thing."

Charming and Snow shared a look. "No, Emma," Snow began again. "Do you have _feelings_ for her…romantic ones," she clarified.

Emma blanched at her mother's question. " _Wow, this must've been how Regina had felt. God I'm such an idiot. I_ need _to talk to her."_

"I have to go," Emma announced, grabbing her jacket as she bolted out the door.

"Bye, sweetie," Snow called after her. "Good luck!"

* * *

Emma knocked loudly on Regina's office door. "Regina, I know you're in there." The queen let out an aggravated sigh, Emma being the _last_ person she had wanted to see right now.

"I'm an idiot," Emma confessed. "I shouldn't have said what I had said back there, it was crossing a line…and I'm sorry." Still remaining in her seated position at the bottom of her side of the door, Regina rested her head on her arms. She knows Emma's not going to leave her alone.

"The truth is," the blonde begins. "I don't know what I feel." At the blonde admission, Regina's ears perked up. "Ever since Amelia showed me that memory, my mind's been on overload. I feel as if I've been forced to live this life that I have absolutely _no_ say in. Ever since I was little, I was _destined_ to be the savior." Emma let out a mirthless laugh. "Even you," she added. "Gold played you, too, saying that you _had_ to cast the curse. Even with the whole Robin thing, which I apologize for by the way."

Regina wiped the tears from her eyes as Emma took in a deep breath. "Living in Storybrooke, I've got Henry and my parents, and I love them. But they can't always understand me. They don't know what it feels like to be rejected and misunderstood. Not the way I do. Not the way YOU do." Regina lifted her gaze, truly listening to the blonde's words. "And somehow that makes us –I don't know, unique. Or maybe even special."

Emma sighed in defeat. "I know you hate me right now so I'm going to go," she concluded. "I just hope that one day you wake up and realize that I _am_ on your side." And with her final words, Emma left.


	13. Chapter 13

After Amelia went to bed on the Charming's couch that night, she fell asleep to wonderful dreams. It was as if she was reliving every single good memory that she had ever had.

She awoke the next day to the smell of bacon and pancakes.

Much to her surprise, Amelia had opened her eyes to see that she had slept on the couch in Regina's mansion. No wonder why her back was so sore. As she made her way into the kitchen area, she noticed something different. There was a single picture hanging up in the foyer. It was of her as a baby.

 _"No, it can't be,"_ Amelia mused to herself.

She bolted into the kitchen and was met with the sight of her mother removing pancakes from the grill with a spatula. Amelia sighed dejectedly.

"Where's the fire," Regina joked, having taken note of Amelia's rushed state. "I was going to surprise you with my famous apple pancakes. You had a long day yesterday." The older woman offered her a smile.

Amelia nodded, not quite understanding why Regina's mood would be so…cheerful after what she had heard from Snow the previous night. Apparently, it had not gone well for Emma and Regina, the blonde coming home with tears in her eyes. Amelia took a seat on a barstool beside from where the older brunette was standing.

"Did you manage to finish the project you were working on," questioned Regina, now pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"What project," Amelia asked confusedly, taking a pancake from the plate in front of her, not bothering dressing it up before stuffing it in her mouth. The action resulted in an eye roll from the older woman.

"You remember, the one for your Storybrooke History class about when Emma and the one-handed pirate went back into the past? You were up all night formulating how to write your speech as if you were your there." The admission caused the younger brunette to go into a bout of deep thought.

 _"Was it all a dream? Had she_ really _gone back in time at all? Wait a minute…"_

She was back! Amelia had somehow been _successful_ in her mission to get her timeline back on track! Whoo Hoo! She won! Amelia jumped to her feet and engulfed her mother in a giant bear hug. Regina was taken aback by the action, accustomed to Amelia being aloof and withdrawn from every interaction they had recently.

"What's gotten into you," she inquired, not really expecting a response in fear that the girl would revert back to her old ways. She's missed her daughter _so_ much. Ever since she had become a teenager, she has rebelled in any way she could. Regina prayed that the girl before her at this moment was here to stay.

Amelia was about to tell Regina about her journey when her other mother, Emma, emerged from the doorway. She runs up to the woman and hugs her as well. All the while, the two parents exchanged confused glances at each other, not quite understanding this uncharacteristically loving version of their daughter. When the girl pulled away from the hug, there were unshed tears in her eyes.

"I've missed you both _so_ much," confessed Amelia as she used the back of her hand to wipe away the stray tears. "You would not believe where I've been if I told you."

Regina prompted her to explain what had happened, so she did. Amelia told them about her crazy adventure back in time, the alternate future, how Emma had brought Robin's deceased wife Marian back from the dead, and how she and Henry joined forces for Operation Swan Queen. Both women listened attentively as the young brunette continued with her story about playing 'matchmaker' for the pair.

When she had finished her rambling about her adventures, both women broke out in laughter. Amelia glanced confusedly between the two, not expecting that particular reaction.

"You don't believe me," Amelia exclaimed incredulously, throwing her hands in the air to emphasize her pont.

 _"Was it all a dream caused by the project,"_ she questioned herself. She shook her head at the thought, causing her long brown hair to cascade over her shoulders. _"No, it was all too_ real," she justified.

After she had finished her thought, Emma's expression changed from amusement to one of astonishment. At the sight of her wife's change of demeanor, Regina questioned. The blonde just ignored the comment, still lost in her own thoughts.

"I…I'll be right back," she mumbled then shuffled out of the room without another word, leaving the two brunettes with many questions. The mother and daughter pair exchanged occasional glances of confusion, then Emma returned holding an envelope.

"This was found on my bed after the whole time travel experience with me and Hook." She handed the already-opened letter to her daughter and returned to standing by her wife's side. Amelia unfolded the letter in her hands and hesitantly read it aloud.

"Dear Emma,  
I'm sure you can tell by the handwriting that you are the one who wrote this letter. How is that possible, you ask? Well, just because you _can't_ remember something doesn't mean it _didn't_ happen. There's no easy way to tell you this without you freaking out too much, but you took a forgetting potion, causing you to forget the past week of your life. Many others in town took one, as well, so they'll be just as much in a haze as you are. We had to because you weren't the only one who went back in time. I can't tell you exactly _who or what_ came back, because that would've defeated the purpose of the potion, but what I can tell you is that everything will be okay. I promise. Also, I've come to realize in this last week that the 'Evil Queen' isn't as bad as everyone claims her to be. I know you already know that, but I need you to keep that in mind when I tell you this. She is your soulmate. I already know you have feelings for her, so go for it! Trust me, she feels the _same_ way, too. She's just afraid. Please do this, if not for yourself, then for your future. Thank you.  
Regards,  
Emma Swan"

When she was finished reading the letter, she slowly glanced up at her parents. Her expression was unreadable.

"So," Emma began. "This must've been what I was referring to, I guess." Amelia nodded slowly, letting her words sink in. As for Regina, her wife, she's thoroughly confused.

"Wait, so you're telling us that you _really_ did travel through time?" Saying that Regina was shocked at the admission would be an understatement. Amelia laughed at her mother's unbelieving expression, knowing the reaction all too well from her trip back in time. Amelia truly feels like a completely different person after her experience.

"Yes, and I got to see what it was like, before you two got all lovey dovey," she joked playfully, then turned her expression into one more serious. "It was kind of scary seeing how much you two hated each other." She averted her gaze to the ground, well aware that her parents didn't enjoy talking about that time in their lives. They had always regretted not getting together sooner, both having their egos get the best of them.

Emma and Regina wore matching saddened expressions, recalling how things once were. "Yeah," they both agreed. They all stood silent for a moment, breakfast long forgotten. Each were lost in their own thoughts about the past. After the moment of reflection was over, Amelia cleared her throat.

"Well," she started. Everyone present welcomed the change of subject. "I guess I finally know what to write about for that assignment." She smiled at her parents, then she gave them both a long embrace and made her leave back into the living room. She was determined to finish her project before her inspiration was gone.

After she was out of the room, both Emma and Regina shifted closer to one another.

"She really has changed," Emma noted. Regina nodded in response.

"She has." The brunette wrapped her arms around her wife's slim waist. "It's a shame we can't remember what happened," Regina admitted.

"Why," Emma commented, slightly offended by the thought of her wife wanting _more_ memories of a time when they hadn't been together. She waited anxiously for the brunette's response.

"Because then I'd have what every happy couple in the world wishes for," Regina explained simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Emma quirks an eyebrow in question, urging the woman to continue. Regina rolled her eyes playfully at her wife's lack of patience, then she continued.

"…A chance to experience falling in love with your soulmate all over again," Regina finished, wearing a wide smirk in amusement due to the blonde's slack-jawed expression.

When Emma recovered from her bewildered state, she leaned into Regina's embrace and placed a soft kiss on Regina's lips, reveling in the sensation.

They had finally had what they both had always wanted–a family, a place to call home. Though they regretted many things in their lives, if given the chance, neither would change a thing because all that had happened to them led them right here into each other's arms.


End file.
